Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...

EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY!
The Cards: 2008 Upper Deck Semi-Pro #1 Jackie Moon (Will Ferrell), #2 Ed Monix (Woody Harrelson), #3 Clarence “Coffee Black” Withers (Andre Benjamin)
The Reason Graded: I'm a sucker for sports cards with movie tie-ins (Or is it movie cards with sports tie-ins?) and this is a set I picked up long, long ago and then revisited again recently. The set is simple -- just these three cards that were released in a pack around a piece of wrapped gum in advance of this comedy's arrival. They weren't rare back then but they have dried up a bit now, and I always wanted to slab a set but knew that there would be challenges here if you want elite grades.
The Grades: BGS 9

Reality Check: This was my best trio out of a handful of sets I own and I'm fine with a matching set of BGS 9s as there can be centering issues galore here along with corner lifts on the soft stock, surface warping and even color blotches among those white borders on these highly glossed cards. These were my best options so I sent them in for the tougher grading company in my mind and got about what I had expected (while actually potentially fearing worse). As for the pop report, I'm not sure what's up here as all three of my cards actually show a pop of zero. That's perhaps because I'm the first or among the first to submit these, so they're not all linked up correctly in the BGS system. Or perhaps that whole is "It a sports card or non-sports card?" question in there, too.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Nothing but breaks and big pulls in today's edition.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2019 Topps Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (mini blaster)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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What: 2021 Topps Star Wars Signature Series trading cards
Arrives: Feb. 17
Box basics: One encased autograph per box (20 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: More than 100 signers from throughout the Star Wars galaxy all in one place help make this one "the ultimate autograph collector's product."

Keep reading for more.

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ... a mix of new slabs and some recent pick-ups.

BIG RETAIL PULL NOW VS. THEN
The Card: Christian McCaffrey 2017 Crown Royale Platinum #88 (/49) -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Graded: With the NFL season (perhaps) finally coming, I'll let this guy kick things off since it's a rarer card and one that I figured would grade well but did have some fears about with one of the back corners showing some funk. I pulled this one from a mega box (or whatever it was called for this one) while sitting in a snowy Walmart parking lot back in the day only to be bummed that my autograph guaranteed in the box wasn't there ... it was Panini Rewards points. I was more hung up on that than appreciating this card back then, but he's been a playmaker in the league -- so much so I actually got rid of my Donruss and Optic RCs of him without getting them graded. Instead I decided to slab this one.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: It graded better than I had expected -- I was thinking probably a 9 but optimistically a 9.5 -- and I consider this one a win. It's razor-sharp and clean except for that one corner and on the back it may not hurt as much. Either way, I'm good with this one. Only 12 total cards of McCaffrey from this release have been graded and this is the only for this parallel. There have been nine copies of his standard RC graded and only four cards overall equal this one with nothing higher.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Collectors remember Chadwick Boseman, showing off unopened NBA box stashes, collecting just jersey cards, new MLB pulls & more in this midnight-drop edition.

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Have you seen the latest cool or interesting items on eBay? If not, you just might see some of those here every week as we're launching a weekly version of our eBay Buzz pieces that pop up from time to time. We’ll spotlight some items that have a story or just wow us with how much interest it might have — and we’re not just talking baseball cards, either.

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ALL ABOUT THE PHOTOS
The Item: Zion Williamson 2019-20 Panini Chronicles Luminance Rookie Card
The Price: $114.99 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Searches for Chronicles really overload me -- there's just too much to choose from and then there are parallels atop all of them (so there are likely better bargains than this particular card and its price) -- but this set jumped out from the rest from this new and red-hot release. Luminance is all about the photos with a simple 1996-97 Fleer Ultra-ish feel (but no tail on the letters) and it might be the best of the best in this catch-all release. This card, the Ja Morant (even better) and the Luka Doncic card are all solid pieces and I'm sure there are others. Over time, the basic cards like this one will stand out from the rest because of the images even if they are easier finds than other rarer but uglier cards. It also doesn't hurt that Williamson is in his red uni here ... so many (too many) were in the drab blue uniforms we've seen all season long from the rookie photo shoot. Luminance is just 30 cards in Chronicles but each has nine parallel sets and some are very rare ... so it will be a bit of a challenge to collect 'em all. I would if I was patient enough.
Similar Pieces: Chronicles Luminance cards on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2019-20 Panini Chronicles NBA boxes

Keep reading for four more interesting items in this week's roundup ...

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around there's some new stuff and some throwbacks as I await some new arrivals.

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IN THE HOUSE (BUT NOT IN THE STRIKE ZONE)
The Card: Dr. Anthony Fauci 2020 Topps Now (/51,512)
The Price: $6 (direct from Topps)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This card was a fun surprise after his awful first pitch to start the season on Opening Day last month and it set an all-time record for Topps Now with more than 51,000 copies sold. That's more than double the previous record for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s MLB debut last year. Why? The novelty of it and the market has been strong for this card as many non-collectors apparently want one. That price has made me glad I did a handful. I may or may not slab one as I had planned as these didn't come in as razor-sharp/perfectly clean as other Topps Now cards I've done. (And also because grading prices are getting steeper.) The real question for people out there ... did anybody get a parallel? Those are new for Now this year.
Grab a box right here: None for this ... get 2020 MLB boxes here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: New pulls, inside a Topps Chrome blaster case, set-building and more in today's edition.

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What: 2020 TRISTAR Signature Series Live Edition
Arrives: Sept. 9
Box basics: One autographed item per pack (eight packs per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's Signature Series returns with just 80 eight-pack cases of authenticated autographed memorabilia with only oversized items being redemptions.

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ... and this time it's still a few more past pick-ups than usual as my pre-COVID grading submissions are delayed and still in graders' hands.

GOOD AS GOLD?
The Card: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 2019 Topps Update Gold #US1 (/2,019) -- Rookie Card parallel
The Reason Graded: This one looked razor-sharp when I pulled it -- and that wasn't always the easiest thing with the corners for cards in this release. While I might want to slab a few key RCs in this one, I wouldn't unless I think that the corners could be decent enough to get a 9.5 or better. Why? Because a lot of people are grading stuff here so you can let them take the chance at stuff coming back surprisingly low. Meanwhile, because of those corner issues (tight wrappers or chippy stock) a high-grade card is seemingly just not easy in this one -- and Gold parallels can be problematic at times, too,  though they were cleaner here than other past years.
The Grade: BGS 9.5

Reality Check: This card checked in where I had hoped but I'm definitely not alone as nearly all of the cards graded checked in as 9.5s. While the grade is a win, the pop report is a bit of a bummer. Long-term that might not matter as the demand will be there if he lives up to the expectations.

Keep reading for more of this time's recent pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around it's all baseball with some new oddball pick-ups as well as some oldschool stuff.

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A BIGGER DEAL (AGAIN)
The Card: Jasson Dominguez 2020 Bowman Bowman Scouts Top 100 wall art (/99)
The Price: $17.50 (after promotional discount)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is not déjà vu all over again as Yogi Berra once said, but this oddly Yankees heavy edition (since I don't really collect them) has perhaps the most-hyped young prospect in the game today batting lead-off just like last time when I presented his standard card here. As I said then, this guy's iconic card this year has eluded me beyond a couple of standard Bowman cards I pulled in blasters -- all I really wanted was a clean grading-worthy Chrome, but no -- so I opted for a limited version of a card that's a big deal this year but in bigger form as Topps wall art. This is an 11-by-13 version of the card that Topps sells on its site for $24.99 (only the base card is sold out, not the three inserts) with a 30 percent discount if you buy three posters of any kind. Will Dominguez pay off for the many chasing him? We'll find out eventually but this one fits into my stash pretty well no matter what as I try to pick off Rookie Cards as wall art.
Grab a box right here: No boxes of these ... but 2020 Bowman can be yours in a few forms here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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Have you seen the latest cool or interesting items on eBay? If not, you just might see some of those here every week as we're launching a weekly version of our eBay Buzz pieces that pop up from time to time. We’ll spotlight some items that have a story or just wow us with how much interest it might have — and we’re not just talking baseball cards, either.

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PICK UP YOUR JAW ... IT'S OVER THERE ??
The Item: Zion Williamson 2019-20 Panini Prizm NBA lot of 23 cards ... all BGS 10s
The Price: $54,900 after 89 bids (one day remaining)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This one is an interesting lot ... first in the sheer volume and the quality. Then you wonder ... why might they be cashing out? (Or, is this just their "junky" copies, meaning they held all of their parallels and autos?) The timing here is interesting -- I'd think just as Williamson or the NBA returns might be a better time for this one, though there are a lot of different options for his Rookie Cards out there. This one will inevitably still be one of the most-iconic ones from this crazy year ... so this price should move before it ends and I'd suspect that the lot will get broken up over time. (Right?) Or, perhaps the buyer will just sit on it and flip it again later? Oh, and if you're wondering, just 517 copies of this card have checked in at a 10 and only 25 have topped them out of 9,199 graded by BGS so far this year.
Similar Pieces: See other Zion Williamson BGS cards on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2019-20 Panini Prizm NBA (all formats) 

Keep reading for four more interesting items in this week's roundup ...

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

The box: 2014 BenchWarmer Eclectic Collection
Where to buy: This one's long gone ... but click here for other BW boxes

Keep reading for a breakdown of this one along with a gallery

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What: 2020 Leaf Metal Pop Century trading cards
Arrives: August
Box basics: Four autograph or memorabilia cards per box (12 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf's annual celebrity release is back for another Metal go with notable names from Hollywood and standouts from other areas of pop culture, too, all in one spot.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of images.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Nothing but breaks and big pulls in today's edition -- everything from MLB to Star Wars.

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Nothing but big pulls and breaks in today's edition.

Continue reading →

Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ... and this time it's a few fresh slabs and a few more past pick-ups than usual as my pre-COVID grading submissions are delayed and still in graders' hands.

OH, OH DOMINO ...
The Card: Zazie Beetz 2019 Goodwin Champions Autographs
The Reason Graded: Goodwin Champions is always full of interesting and different autographs -- many super-affordable ones, too, though the years -- but this is not one of the dirt-cheap sigs that has some obscure sport's star on it. Instead, this is of the celeb variety in the brand as Beetz might be best known for her roles in Deadpool 2 (where I know her), Atlanta or Joker. Domino in the movies is different than Domino in the books, but I think it worked so this auto was firmly on my want list when I first saw she was a signer. She's got almost 40 different cards in this release, which is the home of her only certified autographs so far.
The Grade: BGS 10/10

Reality Check: This was a nice surprise to me as paper-stock autos can always have minor problems -- especially with on-card autos. This was not a pull of mine -- in fact, it was in a previous Buzz Buys item as seen here -- so I was a little surprised but I also knew it looked grading worthy with scrutiny so I opted for BGS. I was also surprised to see that it's the only one graded, but there are other versions. Three of her inscribed cards have been graded with nothing higher than a 9.5. Even more interesting? This is just one of four 10s out of 40 cards graded from this particular set for all signers.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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Today's the last day of auction action over at Crazy Uncle Auctions and since that might not be on your natural list of places to check for modern cardboard, well ... that's why Buzz is here.

The Harrison, N.Y.-based auction house has an impressive array of stuff -- from elite oldschool pieces that you wouldn't imagine existing to stuff fresh from the card factories of today.

POLAR BEAR POWER
The Item: Pete Alonso 2019 Topps NOW #705A Autographed Relic (/99)
The Price: $80 after five bids (about 10 hours remaining)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is one of 15 Alonso cards up for grabs in this one and it's at a fraction of the previous eBay prices (for now) with some solid flip potential even if bidding picks up from here. (It should but could still be a good buy.) eBay asking prices are at least $100 higher and actual sales of comparable Relics (not this one but others from Topps Now) are $250 and up. The key here might be timing -- with MLB set to return there could be more attention here very soon for this big-market slugger. Either way, it's an iconic card noting a key part of his career so far and not a generic aut0-Relic card.

Keep reading for a deeper look at four more items ending tonight that caught Buzz's attention for this weekend edition of Auction Buzz -- the action closes at 11 p.m Eastern here.

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What: 2020 Topps Star Wars Masterwork trading cards
Arrives: Dec. 9
Box basics: Four hits in every four-pack hobby box with two autos guaranteed (eight boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Topps' high-end Star Wars brand drops with some inclusions for new stories and plenty of stars from throughout the galaxy of his franchise in a formula that's pretty much what collectors have come to expect in past years.

Keep reading for more and a full gallery of images.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Big pulls, inside a Star Wars case, comic errors, pondering undervalued players and "he's going to shock some people."

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: NFL cancellations, the Vee thread, NBA breaks, Star Wars, Project 2020 and ... does a toy make the box?

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: MLB is back (they hope), Project 2020, NFL pulls, Hobby Hybrid heat, new Star Wars and more in today's edition.

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Star Wars is a family thing and a new Topps set arriving today for pre-order proves it.

The 2020 Topps Star Wars I Am Your Father's Day set is a simple one that delivers from throughout the franchise's long-running galaxy and is available from Topps.com printed to order for just the next six-plus days.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: Mystery Power Box non-sport/gaming repack (MJ Holding)
Where to buy: Retail outlets ($9.99) -- click here for non-sports

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